Oscillation generator



fiec. 5, 1950 0, MacsoRLEY 2,532,455

OSCILLATION GENERATOR Filed April 23, 1947 INVENTOR.

0/122 L. Mae/01 187 ATTORN EY Patented Dec. 5, 1 950 OSCILLATION GENERATOR Olin L. MacSorley, Collingswood, N. J., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of l-Jelaware Application Amaze, 1947, Serial No. 743,266

1 Claim.

This invention relates to oscillation generators, and has for its principal object the provision of an improved oscillation generator and method of operation whereby an output frequency which is variable by equal steps over a considerable range of frequencies may be produced.

Such variation in frequency is accomplished by a control system which includes a switch arranged to connect in the circuit of the generator, one after another, a series of conventional oscillator coils by which the output frequency is changed by relatively large steps. For dividing each relatively large step into the desired number of relatively small steps, a second switch is arranged to connectin series with the operative oscillator coil such numbers of a plurality 'of series connected inductance coils as are required to produce the requirednumber of frequency steps between the largerfrequency'steps. v Thus if the output frequency of the generator is to be varied over a range of 1195 kc. to 700 kc.

by steps of kc. for example, the first switch is operated to connect the 1195-kc. oscillator coil to the generator and the second switch is thereafter operated to increase one by one the number of inductance COilS connected in series with the 1195 kc. oscillator coil. This operation is repeated with the 1145, 1095, 1045, 995, 945,895, 845, 795, and 745 kc. oscillator coils., If theoutput frequency of the generator is to be increased by steps of 5 kc., the operation is reversed.

Important objects of the invention are the provision of an improved system for controlling the frequency of an oscillation generator; and the provision of an improved arrangement of switches, oscillator coils and inductance units whereby the output frequency of an oscillation generator may be changed by equal steps of 5 kc.

'The invention will be better understood from the following description consideredin connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope is indicated by the appended claim.

The single figure of the drawing is a wiring diagram of an oscillation generator arranged to have its output frequency controlled in accordance with the invention.

This figure shows an oscillator triode 28B- 20l-202 which is interconnected with a reactance tube 203 in a conventional manner to deliver at an output terminal 204 oscillations of a 238 which is provided with a cathode lead resistor 209.

As is well known, the reactance across the oscillator tank circuit is thus established at a value dependent on the potential applied from the resistor 229 to the grids 2l02l| of the reactance tube. This reactance is connected to the oscillator tank circuit in parallel with the selected tuning coil so that, if it is adjusted to a fixed value, the variation in the generator output frequency is produced by change in the tuning coil and in the inductance connected to a +3 lead 246 in series with it.

The various oscillator coils beginning with the lowest frequency coil are indicated by the ref erence numerals M3 to 222. Connected in parallel with these oscillator coils are capacitors 223 to 232, respectively. The various inductance units are indicated by the reference numerals 233 to 24!.

Selection of the various oscillator coils and inductance units is effected by four switches, 242, 243, 244 and 245. Switch 243 selectively connects the oscillator coils to the grid 201 of the triode 2ll8-20l-202. Switch 242 selectively connects the low voltage terminal of these coils to the anode 200 of the triode. Switch 244 selectively connects the high voltage terminal of the coils to a lead 246 of the inductance unit 24!. Switch 245 selectively connects the inductance units 233 to 241 to the +3 terminal 212.

It will be noted that switches 242 and 244 are each provided with eleven fixed contacts numbered from I to H. Contacts I to It are used to connect the various tank coils into the circuit, while contacts H, which are connected together, short the unused coils through the shorting rings. This is a customary procedure to eliminate undesirable effects from the unused coils. To obtain a frequency of 1195.0 kc. switches 242, 243 and 244 would be on contac it and switch 245 would be on contact i0.

To reduce this output frequency by 5 kc. steps, the movable contact of the switch 245 is moved to engage the fixed contacts 9 to l successively until the output frequency is reduced to H50. When the movable contacts of the switches 242, 243 and 244 are moved to their number 9 posi- -..tions and the movable contact of switch 245 is frequency dependent on (1) the reactance'of the" tube 203, (2) the selected tuning coil connected to the anode 200 and (3) the number of induct-' ance unitsconnected in series with this selected coil.

The output frequency of the generator is established at the desired reference'frequency by means of apotential applied through a lead 205- tq @1 9 3 1 4 06 91a cathode follower ZOE-40L,-

moved to number 10 position the +3 lead 212 is connected directly to the high voltage terminal of the 1145 kc. oscillator coil 22! and this coil is' connected through the switches 242 and 243 re- ;.spectively to the anode 200 and the grid 20!.

each of the oscillator coils 220 to H3. The

The same procedure is repeated with switches 242, 243 and 244 may be ganged together for simultaneous operation.

The method by which the constants of the oscillator circuit are determined is as follows. It will be noted that for a particular frequency range and number of steps, any one coil or capacitor may be chosen arbitrarily, but that once this has been chosen, all others must bear a definite relation to this one. A convenient choice is the capacity of the highest frequency coil, which canbe chosen as the minimum capacity desired in any tank circuit. The values of capacity calculated are total capacity including tube capacity and distributed capacity.

1 1 -mg-m Ln=inductance in henrys of highest frequency .coil (222)..

Fn=resonant frequency in cyclesofhighest frequency tankcircuit.

Cn=total capacity in faradstin highest jrequency tank circuit.

Next "determine the total-inductance III of the nine *coils 233 to 2 H connected in series.

F; 2 Mice 1 n=number of parts into Whichlrr is divided. Fs==cycleschange produced byeach change of switch 265.

Theinductance of anyof theotherrnain coils may be calculated as follows:

Tocalculate the component parts of LI use-the following formula.

1 1- 41r F C 4;1r'-F C Ce =th9 value of capacity previouslycalcula'ted for .one coil.

LriS coil 2%! L2 is 0011 24:: Ln is coil 233 Atypical group of values for operation over the range 7 .90. to 1195 kc. in steps 01 5 kc. is show-n b-y thefoliowing tabulation. These are calculated on the basis f 6B. mmii. capacity i01- the highest frequency circuit.

g f g i r i Coil N o. i l i Ce fi cap citg C megacyclcs micro-henry in mmf.

Induct- Inductance ance N 0. microhemi It tox-be understood, of course, that the values-ofthe above tabulation apply to an oscillator-tank circuit otherwise having the'constants indicated by-the-legends adjacent its component parts and that a change in these component parts would'involve'recalculation of the tabulated values.

What the-invention provides is an oscillator generator to-provide a-group of one hundred-frequencies, having a fixed frequency difference betweenany two adjacent frequencies within a very small theoretical error. In-the example given values were calculated'for arange of 700 to 1195 kc. in 5 kc. steps. Had i-t been desired, this could justasreadil-y have been 700 to 945 kc. in 2.5 kc. steps or 700 to-1245 kc.in"5;0 kc. steps.

- I claim as my invention:

The combinationof an oscillation generator having anode and grid circuits, a plurality of tuning units each includin gvprimary and secondary windings and eachtuneid to frequencies separated by equal and relativelywide steps, means for applying operatingpotential to said anode, circuit control means operable to successive closed positions for successively connecting each of said units tosa'id oscillator scthat said operating potential is appliedto said anode through its primary windingand its .secondary winding is connectedin said grid circuit, a plurality. of indu rsjhavine constants adapted to. change the frequency votsaid generator by steps which are submu'ltiples ,ofsaidrelativeh wide steps, and circuit control means for selectively connecting different ones .01 said inductorsbetween said 0D- erating potential applyingmeans .and saidprimary windings.

.QLIN .L. MACSOR EY.

-' REFERENCES "CITED The iollowing references are of record in the 'fileof ,this patent:

. UN n31 L-RAIENTS 

